Joy Blossomed in Her Heart

Tall trees stretched out in a continuous expanse, spreading along the gentle slope of the mountain, resembling a vast green sea...

This was the first time Zhou Wuji had ever seen such a lush and dense forest. Outside, it was early spring, and the vegetation was withered, but here everything was bursting with vitality.

Yihe pointed to the straight path ahead and said, "If you follow this road forward for about two hundred miles, you'll reach the edge of the forest. There you'll see the Crimson Flame Desert, where there are built wooden houses. Yiyuan is guarding the magic array there..."

Yihe gave a few instructions and then turned and left.

With no outsiders around, Wuleng's beautiful face showed a noticeable relaxation. She said softly, "I never expected to be on duty at the Glazed Lapis Lazuli Grotto-Heaven with my senior brother. This is a good opportunity to ask him for advice on Swordsmanship."

She paused for a moment, then said somewhat shyly, "Congratulations on advancing to the Fourth Rank, Senior Brother. I've been busy cultivating, and Master has been very strict, so I haven't had a chance to congratulate you."

Wuleng had been in seclusion cultivating during this period and had not even participated in Zhou Wuji's ordination ceremony.

Now that only she and Zhou Wuji remained in the Lapis Lazuli Grotto-Heaven, she was in high spirits, extremely high spirits, even elation and joy.

However, she was reserved by nature and wouldn't show too much joy.

She couldn't help but say, "It's all thanks to my senior brother giving me this divine item that I was able to break through to the Fifth Rank so quickly."

Zhou Wuji smiled and said, "We're good friends who've been through life and death together, it's too formal to say such things."

"To be able to spar with my junior sister in Swordsmanship is something I'd be more than happy to do."

Zhou Wuji really admired Wuleng. This woman was resilient and reserved. She was usually serious and aloof, but in reality, she was warm-hearted and very loyal.

Wuleng had traveled thousands of miles for a single word from him, and afterwards he didn't take credit for it, as if it were just a small matter. He was very grateful for this.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have given the Jade Liquid to Wuleng.

Given his relationship with Wuleng, Wuleng should be willing to teach him the Fourth Rank Army-Breaking Sword if he asks.

But he felt something was off, and he decided to find out more about it before asking directly.

Fortunately, Wuleng is simple-minded, so it wasn't difficult to get information out of her.

The forest is vast, but fortunately, cultivators throughout the ages have carved out a straight path that runs directly through the lush woods, preventing anyone from getting lost.

"This road needs to be trimmed almost every year; I've only been here twice."

Wuleng spoke of this with a smile on his face, "I was only thirteen or fourteen years old at the time, and I was cutting the grass and trees on the road with a sword. At first, I was full of energy, but in less than half a day, my wrists were so tired that they were swollen."

"But that didn't work. It took half a month of clearing away weeds, shrubs, and bushes before it was finally finished..."

Zhou Wuji also found it quite interesting; maintaining this straight passage in the vibrant forest would indeed require a tremendous amount of manpower.

For cultivators in the Upper Court, this is also a good opportunity for training.

After walking for a while, Zhou Wuji suggested taking a break, saying, "I have the Flying Star Armored Horse Technique, which makes traveling faster at night."

Wuleng naturally listened to Zhou Wuji.

With nothing else to do, Zhou Wuji used his White Eyebrow Needle to kill a fat wild rabbit, skinned it, roasted it over a fire, and tasted the wild game from the secret realm.

He had Five Spirit Pouch, which contained some seasonings.

Roasting rabbit is quite simple.

Actually, rabbits don't have much fat, so they don't taste very good when roasted. Wuleng has been busy cultivating, and only played with these things when he was a young girl.

She found it quite fun to barbecue with Zhou Wuji.

Wuleng himself didn't realize that it wasn't roasting rabbit that was interesting, but rather that being with Zhou Wuji made everything seem quite fun...

That night, Zhou Wuji summoned the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed.

Upon seeing the exceptionally magnificent black steed, Wuleng couldn't help but exclaim, "This is the first time I've ever seen such a beautiful ghost!"

Zhou Wuji, riding on the back of the black dragon steed, waved, "Get on."

Her Wuleng any sharp edges, flushed slightly. If it were any other man, she would rather run than mount a horse.

She couldn't bear to refuse her Wuji brother Wuji's invitation.

Wuleng lightly leaped onto the horse's back, about half a foot away from Zhou Wuji's back.

Zhou Wuji didn't mind. He grabbed the horse's long mane and said, "Junior sister, hold on tight, this horse is going a bit fast."

"Hmm." Wuleng responded softly, a little shyly. She didn't think a ghost could be that fast.

But she soon realized something was wrong. The horse was as fast as an arrow. She was skilled in martial arts, but at such high speed, she felt lightheaded and as if she might be thrown off at any moment.

She instinctively grabbed Zhou Wuji's gold belt, holding it with both hands.

Zhou Wuji found it somewhat amusing; this girl was being quite reserved. He abruptly stopped his black dragon steed, and Wuleng crashed violently into his back.

"Ah..." Wuleng pressed her entire body against Zhou Wuji's back, and she couldn't help but let out a soft gasp.

However, holding her Wuji so tightly made her feel particularly at ease, and she didn't feel uneasy or uncomfortable because of the intimacy.

"That's too fast, isn't it?" Zhou Wuji felt the warmth behind him and felt embarrassed to tease Wuleng any further. Wuleng simply replied softly, "This horse is really fast..."

Zhou Wuji spurred his horse forward again, this time at a slower pace. Even so, the black dragon steed was still incredibly fast, so fast that Wuleng dared not let go.

Wuleng was overjoyed, feeling that riding alongside his senior brother was an unprecedented pleasure in his life.

In less than half an hour, the black dragon steed had reached the edge of the forest, Zhou Wuji could already see the vast desert outside.

Under the serene Water Moon, the desert still takes on a dark red hue. The undulating sand dunes lend the moonlit desert a boundless and desolate beauty...

Zhou Wuji used his Six Yang Spirit Eyes to quickly locate several wooden houses in the forest.

Strictly speaking, it's a wooden house built in the trees, several meters above the ground, avoiding attacks from ordinary wild animals and offering a panoramic view of the desert.

Once they had arrived at their destination, Zhou Wuji told Wuleng Leng to dismount, and he put away the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed.

Wuleng stood to the side, still feeling a little unsteady on her feet. She realized that the black dragon steed was truly fast, so fast that it seemed to arrive in the blink of an eye. She felt that it was over before she had had enough... This left her feeling disappointed...

"Uncle-Master Yiyuan?" Zhou Wuji called out, immediately waking the sleeping Yiyuan.

Yiyuan came down from the treehouse. He had been in the Lapis Lazuli Grotto-Heaven for half a year and had never seen Zhou Wuji, but he knew Wuleng.

Zhou Wuji took out the Big Dipper Seven Stars Token, Yiyuan confirmed it was correct. He exchanged a few words with Zhou Wuji, then went back to pack his things and left quickly.

This person was clearly also a master of the Five Yin Pouch, as he carried a sword with him when he left, looking quite dashing.

After seeing the Daoist priest off, Zhou Wuji and Wuleng chose two adjacent wooden houses, cleaned them up briefly, and then rested...

As dawn broke, Zhou Wuji was awakened by the chirping of birds.

He opened the window and could see the desert in the distance.

As the sun rose, the desert was already dazzlingly red.

Zhou Wuji was curious, wondering what the depths of the desert were like, and where the so-called Lapis Lazuli Heavenly Palace was located.

However, being new to the area, he was unfamiliar with everything and therefore did not want to act rashly.

With nothing else to do, Zhou Wuji wandered around, observing his surroundings.

Not far from the treehouse, there's a clear stream. A short distance downstream, there's even a makeshift outhouse...

Within a radius of several thousand feet around the treehouse, deep underground, are embedded specially made stone slabs covered with runes, which form the foundation of the Big Dipper Seven Stars Demon-Sealing Grand Array.

With the Big Dipper Seven Stars Token, one can control the magic array to seal, block, and attack.

The magic circle itself is not complicated, but it is extremely powerful.

When Zhou Wuji returned, he saw Wuleng practicing his sword under the treehouse.

Wuleng was considered tall among women, only half a head shorter than him. She had long limbs, strong and powerful muscles, yet possessed a unique feminine grace.

The swordplay was graceful and elegant, a pleasure to watch.

Zhou Wuji's mastery of the Army-Breaking Sword far surpasses that of Wuleng. She can tell Wuleng's current level at a glance. She is currently unifying her mind, will, qi, and body through the sword.

This is a slow process of refining the acupoints; it is not about speed.

Zhou Wuji observed for a while and then said, "The heart orifice belongs to fire, outwardly gentle but inwardly fiery. You need to intensify your Sword Intent."

Wuleng sheathed her sword and looked at Zhou Wuji, asking softly, "Senior Brother, how should we control the intensity of our Sword Intent?"

Sword Intent is the condensation of divine will, which is very different from the exertion of muscles. When condensing Sword Intent, adjusting the degree of force is only a vague feeling, and it is difficult for her to make precise control.

"Actually, you can judge the changes in the intensity of Sword Intent by maintaining contact with the Army-Breaking Star..."

Zhou Wuji walked up to Wuleng and gently touched Wuleng's brow with his index finger.

Such a change in divine will is indeed difficult to express clearly in words.

He connected his Sword Intent with the Sword Intent the Wuleng Sword, resonating with the Army-Breaking Star above the Nine Heavens, and cultivated with the Wuleng according to the most correct rhythm.

This is also because he has reached the pinnacle of the Army-Breaking Sword realm, possesses Divine Tier Sword Soul, has an extremely close connection with the Big Dipper Seven Stars, and Wuleng trusts him exceptionally, allowing his Sword Intent to penetrate deep into his sea of consciousness and connect with his own Sword Intent. Only then could he achieve this.

When Zhou Wuji withdrew his Sword Intent, Wuleng opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Wuji with great joy. "Senior brother is amazing! Even when Master gave me guidance, I couldn't understand it so clearly."

With Zhou Wuji's guidance, she felt her Sword Intent become clear and transparent.

Just like wiping away the dirt on a mirror and then rinsing and drying it with water, she no longer had any doubts or questions about cultivating the Army-Breaking Sword Intent.

Such skill truly impressed Wuleng.

"There are many things I don't understand about Swordsmanship, and I would appreciate your guidance, junior sister."

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhou Wuji asked, "Junior Sister, do you know the cultivation method for the Fourth Rank of the Army-Breaking Sword?"

Wuleng nodded, then looked at Zhou Wuji with some confusion. "Senior Brother doesn't know any Fourth Rank techniques?"

"Yes, the True Person said I should learn from you."

Zhou Wuji asked, "Is this convenient?"

Wuleng hesitated for a moment, then nodded vigorously. "I can teach you, senior brother, but you absolutely mustn't tell anyone else."

Passing on Secret Method in private is a major taboo in the sect; if it gets out, she and her senior brother will be in trouble.

Moreover, it was her senior brother who knew the Army-Breaking Sword, but she only dared to pass it on because he was Fourth Rank below her level.

Even if someone asks, True Person Zhihua will always be there to answer.

"Of course I won't tell anyone, but this won't break my oath, will it?"

Since Wuleng was so generous, Zhou Wuji had to consider Wuleng's situation more carefully.

He didn't take the oath he made before the Northern Emperor very seriously, but Wuleng was different.

Such vows vary from person to person. If Wuleng feels that violating the vow is wrong and leaves her with a mental burden, it will be very detrimental to her future cultivation.

"It's fine."

Wuleng had finally figured things out. Her bright eyes lowered slightly as she softly said, "Senior Brother has helped me so much; I'm just happy to help him this once..."